NIS Agents Tearing Up the Japanese Empire - Chapter 123



Only Krnovel

Flash point (2)

The news that the special investigation team sent to catch the ghost of Gyeongseong did not catch the guy they were supposed to catch, but instead caught a Japanese soldier, spread quickly throughout Joseon.

“Extra edition! Extra edition!”

“The Government-General raided the Japanese military headquarters in Yongsan and captured the traitors! Extra edition!”

“What? You guys are fighting among yourselves!”

People stopped in their tracks and opened their wallets at the news that the Japanese Imperial Police and Army, which were ranked 1st and 2nd most hated government agencies by Koreans according to the American economic magazine Forbes, were having a showdown.

“I’ll give you one!”

“Give me one too!”

“Come on! Don’t push!”

In some regions where there was a shortage of printing presses and thus could not print many extra editions, people would pay extra for this newspaper, even though the paper quality was inferior to that of a regular newspaper and the content was poor.

“So what does it say there?”

“Mr. Kim, you can read.”

“That’s right! Mr. Kim! Come and read this!”

“Where… … On the 30th of last month… … A police officer named Miwara, the head of the special investigation unit of the Governor-General’s Office, took his subordinate police officers to… … Yongsu… … ? Ah, Yongsan… … . They raided the military base in Yongsan.”

“Poohahaha! Why did the Japanese fight the Japanese army?”

“Kekekeke… … . Even the soldiers got a taste of the real thing!”

“Shut your mouth! You can’t hear me!”

When most Koreans heard the news that the police and soldiers were clashing, they smiled and burst out laughing without any resistance.

“Have you ever seen such a bunch of idiots?”

“Kukuk.”

“Kikki.”

“Khehehehehe!”

Last time, we heard that the army and navy were fighting in the Japanese imperial capital, and this time we heard that the police and the army were fighting in Joseon territory.

This news gave a brief moment of relief to the workers and farmers who worked like oxen day after day, their bodies breaking down, but those who had earned money at home and had long purse strings and learned how to read and write did not just laugh this news off.

“I think the atmosphere in Japan right now is not good.”

“When was it ever nice there? It was always the same there.”

“Yes, I know this because I studied abroad in Tokyo for a few years. Originally, the Japanese military was divided into land and sea, and they fought each other and were in chaos.”

“That’s true, but… … this time, it seems to be on a different level.”

“Tsk… … Look at you wasting time talking nonsense again.”

“If you don’t have confidence, just throw down the gauntlet and die quietly. Don’t waste time by beating around the bush.”

Everyone had a lot on their minds, but most of them were unable to find jobs due to the economic difficulties caused by the post-war depression that followed the Great War.

Even though their parents and relatives pooled their money together to support them, they could not pull rickshaws on the streets or go into construction sites, so most of them were wasting their time gambling or wasting their parents’ money.

But even so, since these people were educated enough to learn, many of them had a rough idea that something was going wrong in the current situation.

“Hyung Kim, have you seen the newspaper?”

“I heard the news that the Imperial Police were arresting soldiers, and it was ringing in my ears.”

These two people were among them.

Both were elites who had studied abroad in Japan, but when they finished their studies and returned to Gyeongseong, there were no jobs there.

However, the situation was not favorable for going back to Japan due to the recent political turmoil.

So both of them were wasting their time.

“Then, let’s talk quickly. Hyung Kim, I’m thinking of liquidating what I have this time and heading north.”

“North? Are you going to Pyongyang?”

“No. I want to go further north than that.”

“If it’s north of Pyongyang… … . Are you going to Wonsan or Hamheung? There’s nothing to see there.”

“Further than that.”

“If it’s further… … . to cross the river?”

Crossing the Yalu and Duman Rivers in the north, we arrived at Manchuria and Gando.

It was the territory of the Republic of China, but it was also not the territory of the Republic of China.

Already, numerous Koreans had crossed over to Manchuria and Gando, settled there, and created villages one by one. Now, their numbers have easily grown to dozens or even hundreds.

As a result, the Manchuria and Gando regions of today could be considered small Joseon regions within China because there were so many Joseon people there.

Although the facilities were poor and the social infrastructure was not properly developed, it was a place lacking in everything… …. It was also a place that was far removed from the Japanese surveillance network.

That is why people who harbored aspirations in their hearts or had stories they could not tell others about would abandon their homeland and occasionally go to Manchuria.

“But you’re not!”

“Hyung Kim, I have a dream too.”

“Dream? Your dream is to have a lot of money, a pretty wife, and live happily ever after at home!”

“It’s still the same now.”

“Then why do you want to go to Manchuria?”

“… … .”

He didn’t answer.

There was just a snicker.

Although he didn’t say anything, I could guess what he wanted to do.

“Oh my… … I’m so frustrated I’m going to go back. Say something! Does your family know that you’re going to run off to Manchuria like this?”

“Would a man of integrity give up his will just because of his family?”

“No way. You crazy bastard… … . If you go there, you’ll die!”

“Rather than wasting my time in Gyeongseong and disappearing without a trace, I want to have some real fun in the big city.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Didn’t you say that living a long and thin life is the best?”

“I just… … changed my mind a little.”

Even Japan, which claims to be the strongest country in East Asia, could not help but falter as it was hit by political, economic, and military crises in succession.

As the once invincible Japanese Empire began to falter, the way people viewed them also changed.

The Japanese Empire, which was previously thought to be a cold-blooded nation that would not shed a single drop of blood even if stabbed with a sword and an invincible nation that could not be defeated, was suffering from internal and external troubles and was now tottering, just like Joseon, which was shaken by the invasions of the great powers of the past.

One interesting thing is that among the people who are somewhat educated in Joseon today, nine out of ten come from families that sold the country to Japan or actively cooperated in selling the country.

As the saying goes, learning is stealing, so what can children learn from parents who have made a living selling out their country?

It was a really funny situation.

“Are you planning to switch sides now?”

“no.”

“Then why do you insist on buying it and going through all the trouble? I just don’t understand!”

Of course, there was no one who really thought that the current situation was unfavorable to Japan and was willing to devote themselves to the independence movement.

However much the Japanese Empire faltered, it did not fall so badly that it was pushed aside by local warlords from the Republic of China.

“I’m not doing this because I have some grand intention. It’s just like when you feel your jaw hurt one day and find that your teeth are loose.”

“What the heck is that… … !”

“Kim Hyung, think about it for a moment. My teeth are loose. Should I just leave it like that?”

“… … ?”

“Now that we’ve found the rotten tooth, we need to pull it out.”

“This is becoming more and more nonsensical.”

“It is said that you can know the depth of ten feet of water, but not the heart of a one-foot person.”

The young man said this and stood up, dusting himself off.

“Hyung Kim, I’m going.”

“I’m not finished talking yet! Inma!”

“When a man talks too much, his luck runs out. Well then, until we meet again, take care. Kim Hyung.”

“hey!”

As the true face of the Japanese Empire was revealed to the world, the number of people boarding trains to Manchuria also increased significantly.

What is happening is the exact opposite of the situation in which ordinary colonial elites seek personal glory by colluding with the ruling nation.

* * *

“Everyone realized it.”

“What do you mean?”

Late afternoon, when the dreary wind cuts through thick coats and cuts deep into the heart.

A guest came to the residence of Namgoong Hoon, the president and owner of the Chosun Ilbo.

Although it was a new face and a new name, President Namgoong Hoon welcomed the stranger warmly and gave him his own room.

“If you look closely, the Japanese Empire is nothing special.”

“Well… … . All the Japanese government has shown us so far has been truly ugly and disgusting… … . Even so, is there any reason for young people who claim to have been educated to turn their backs on it?”

“There are enough reasons.”

During the Great War, the Japanese government was sitting on a mountain of money selling military supplies to Europe, but instead of sharing the benefits with foreigners, such as Joseon, or with the Japanese mainland, they monopolized the benefits for themselves and kept quiet.

And even though the economy collapsed due to their failure to properly respond to the economic crisis that followed the war, they once again enjoyed playing with money, giving and receiving money among themselves.

While the high-ups were forming shallow friendships in their briefcases, the low-level ones were often forced out onto the streets because they couldn’t find jobs or because their good companies went bankrupt.

It would be fortunate if they could just sit on the streets, but there were countless people who starved to death because they couldn’t find food right away.

Even before Tokyo was turned upside down, there were many people starving to death, but now that the country has fallen into this state, it is hard to imagine how many people have suffered.

“If the situation is like this for the first-class citizens who are relatively better off, what about the second-class citizens, the Joseon people?”

“hmm…….”

“Even if you just look at the streets right now, aren’t they full of mayflies who bow down to others and work relying only on their own bodies?”

“I see. That’s true.”

The unemployed in Joseon did not discriminate between social classes.

Even the children of Joseon nobles, who are said to be the best in this land, must study hard and jump into the rickshaw business.

“The Government-General runs a deficit every year, so it is difficult to run the government without support from the mainland. And if you want to join the military, it is difficult to get through the narrow entrance created by the high-ranking military officials who do not like Koreans holding weapons.”

“There are many people in Gyeongseong playing at home these days.”

Unlike Japan, capital was not well developed in Joseon, so the number of companies in Joseon was small enough to count on one hand.

As a result, the job market is always saturated and the streets are overflowing with unemployed people.

“So what are you trying to say?”

“I want to give work to the poor young people who are lying around at home helplessly.”

“… … ?”

President Namgung immediately looked taken aback at Mr. Lee’s words, which sounded like he was speaking as if he were a good philanthropist.

“Joe, that’s a good idea… … I never thought I’d hear those words come out of your mouth.”

“I don’t know what President Namgung thinks of me, but I am also a person with hot blood flowing through my veins.”

“yes?”

President Namgung answered awkwardly and cleared his throat to clear the air.

“Ahem… … So the reason you came to me like this is to ask me to bring them into the Chosun Ilbo and use them as a foundation for the independence movement?”

“no.”

“No?”

“Yes, when are we going to gather people together again and raise them until they are useful?”

“then……?”

The ghost of Gyeongseong took off the gas mask he was wearing.

Then, Mr. Lee of the provisional government appeared inside.

“With a gun, all you have to do is pull the trigger. With a bomb, all you have to do is click the button.”

“… … ?”

“There is a lot of discontent in society, so I want to teach the youth here a way to resolve their discontent.”

“???”

“Sir, please gather some people. I will take care of the rest.”

“No, that, that… … .”

President Namgung didn’t quite understand what the teacher was saying, but he felt that something big was about to happen.

“What are you planning to do in Gyeongseong…?”

“Um… … . If I were to translate this into words that can be understood in this day and age… … . Should I say environmental beautification?”

“Environmental beautification?”

“Oh, I’m not going to do anything right away. For now, I’m just going to take a quick look at the situation and do some internal inspections.”

“Hmm… … Are you saying you’re going to rest for the time being?”

“It’s not a break.”

“So, is a bomb going to explode in Gyeongseong?”

“Haha, that won’t happen for a while.”

President Namgung let out a long sigh.

“Haa… … . So you’re saying you’re going to blow it up in the end?”

“Instead, we will make it convenient for the Chosun Ilbo to be the first to cover the story.”

“… … ?”

NIS Agent Tears the Japanese Empire Episode 124